BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Hard-core race fans who paid extra for paddock passes posed with drivers and their cars and watched crews fine tune cars in anticipation of the Porsche 250 later today at the Barber Motorsports Park.

The full parking areas surrounding the track hold cars with tags predominately from the Birmingham metro area, but also include visitors from as far away as California and other states such as Indiana, Missouri, Texas and bordering states Tennessee, Georgia and Mississippi.

Rex Moore from North Shelby county walked through the paddock area for his first race as part of the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama weekend at the Barber Motorsports Park.

"I've been to motorcycle races here, but this is the first car race," he said. "I like to work on cars, but mine aren't as clean as these."

A number of fan-oriented events are scheduled throughout today and Sunday as well as other events and attractions for those with little or no interest in racing, such as the Ferris wheel that was once part of the late Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.